Those Father Daughter Moments
by MsKRyan.ox
Summary: Sam and Veronica Swarek always had an amazing father-daughter relationship and here are some of those moments, that defined it. A series of One-Shots.
1. Pregnant and in Labour

Pregnant…and In Labour

* * *

There had to be something in the water at the 15th Precinct. That was the only thing Sam Swarek could come up with to explain how Andy Swarek, Traci Barber, Sue Epstein AND Gail Diaz could be pregnant all at the same time. That was it, it had to be something in the water. Don't get him wrong, Sam Swarek was happy and proud that he got his wife, Andy, pregnant, especially after the last five miscarriages, but it was just weird, how she had gotten pregnant roughly around the same time as the other three.

And it was this weird turn events that had Oliver Shaw laughing at the expense of his partner, Sam, Jerry Barber, Dov Epstein and Chris Diaz. They had successfully and stupidly been able to get the Unholy Alliance of the 15th Precinct and Bomb Squad pregnant all at the same time. The next nine months were going to be fun.

"Oli, knock it off," Jerry snapped from his spot beside Sam at the Black Penny's bar. Oliver Shaw stopped laughing for all of five seconds, before his laughter once more got the best of him and he burst once more. The four fathers-to-be rolled their eyes at their fellow officer and continued to drink their beer. Sam placed his head in his hands. He didn't want to show it, but he was scared shitless.

"B…but…but…how," Dov stammered, as he looked at the empty beer bottle in front of him. He was in shock, had been since the moment that his wife had told him, that she was pregnant, confirmed with an OB/GYN and all. He just couldn't believe it.

"I think you know how, Epstein," Jerry snapped. He had been on edge the moment that Traci and Andy had sat both him and Sam down for a special dinner to break the news. It wasn't everyday that you heard that you were now going to be responsible for a life. Sure, they were all detectives and officers, but this little life shared a piece of their DNA, making them even more responsible for their upbringing. There was always a chance that they could screw up.

Even though, Oliver found a vast amount of enjoyment in their happiness/misery, he could tell that something was wrong with Sam. It hadn't been the first time that he and Andy had found out she was pregnant, in fact it was the sixth, but each time before this, it all ended the same way. Andy had a miscarriage. He could see that it was hard on them.

The first time, she had only been a month along, when Luke Callaghan had died in her arms. He had taken a several shots for her, knocking Andy down underneath him. She lost the baby due to the fall. That first miscarriage had changed both Andy and Sam. It had been hard on both of them, but their relationship stayed strong. The next few times, it was small things, like her body rejected the pregnancy or, it was big things, like the time she had fallen down the stairs of their new home. Each time, it got harder and harder for Sam and Andy to stay positive that it would turn out.

"I'm going home guys," Sam mumbled, placing the not even empty beer bottle onto the bar, grabbed his jacket and headed out the door of the Black Penny. Jerry and Oliver watched Sam as he left, both quietly sharing a look. They knew something was wrong. It was more than just nervousness about the new baby. It was the nervousness about waiting for the other shoe to drop. Jerry and Oliver knew that if this baby didn't make it to term, not only would it be another miscarriage, not only would it be another failure, it would most likely be the end of Sam and Andy's marriage. It just couldn't take another hit like that.

Jerry looked over at the clock and then back to the door, that Sam had exited the bar. Placing his almost empty beer bottle down, and grabbed his jacket. He needed to make sure Sam was alright, that he just wasn't putting on a brave face.

"I'm going to leave too," he said, signally Oliver to follow him in next few moments, "Probably shouldn't make Traci too mad at me, especially since she's pregnant." The guys nodded their goodbyes, and Jerry left. Sighing, he walked out the same door that Sam did, and walked to the Black Penny parking lot. He knew Sam wouldn't be far from his truck.

It didn't take long for Jerry to find him, in fact he was standing behind his truck in the parking lot. Slowly Jerry walked up to him, looking over his posture, trying to guage his reaction to the news.

"I'm going to have to get something safer," Sam mumbled, loud enough for Jerry to hear him. Jerry stood beside him, not saying a word. Sam knew someone was beside him.

"Andy said, she's five months along," Sam said, not checking to see if it was Oliver or Jerry that stood there, "Said, she didn't want to tell me, until she knew that the little one was healthy, but she's still scared something will happen. She didn't want me to have to lose another child." Jerry stayed quiet as Sam continued to ramble on about what Andy told him.

"Says, it's a little girl," Sam said, his face stoic. Jerry smiled, he could picture Sam with a little girl, that looked almost exactly like Andy, but with Sam eyes. Oliver was now standing on the other side of Sam. All three of them were looking at Sam's truck.

"I'm going to have to get rid of my truck," Sam said, once more, "Can't let something so small ride in something that doesn't even have a back seat. We wouldn't even be able to bring them home from the hospital." Jerry and Oliver shared a look. It was obvious, that it was more than just shock of being responsible for a small life, but being responsible for a little girl, possibly even losing her, just as he gets use to the idea, that scared Sam even more.

"It'll be okay, bro," Oliver said, placing a hand on Sam's shoulder.

"You can't say that," Sam snapped, turning towards Oliver, "We always say it's going to be okay. Always. And then by some angsty twist of fate, it's not okay anymore and Andy and I will be left to pick up the pieces of yet another failure, while the rest of you will taking care of your families. It's just not fair." It was then that Sam finally let his true fears show.

"Sam," Jerry said, calmly, "The others, didn't even make it to five months. This little girl is going to be just like you and Andy. She's going to be your daughter, the toughest little girl on the play ground and Queen of the Brat Brigade." Sam smiled slightly at the thought.

"You and Andy will get through this," Oliver offered.

"But what if, something does happen and Andy has to give birth anyway," Sam says, obviously still worried about how everything will turn out. Jerry and Oliver share one more look.

"I don't know Sammy, but we'll help get you through it, if it does end up happening," Jerry offered. Sam nodded and turned towards his truck once more ready to head home in hopes that he could spend some time with his wife, possibly choosing a name for their future little one.

"I'm still going to have to get rid of this truck," Sam said, as he walked towards his truck to drive home. Oliver and Jerry shared an amused look. It was just like Sam to focus on something so trivial when it came to a new baby, when he wasn't even sure of the outcome.

"Maybe you should worry about how you're going to deal with raising a little girl," Jerry said, and almost immediately he wished the words hadn't left his mouth. Sam looked at both Oliver and Jerry horrified, like the news had just hit him.

"Holy shit, how the hell am I going to raise a little girl," Sam swore, leaning against the driver's side of his truck. Oliver rolled his eyes and glared at Jerry for not keeping his mouth closed. Oliver walked up to Sam, and placed his hands on both of his shoulders.

"You'll learn as the years go by. You'll say something once, get the wrong reaction and know to NEVER say it again, but you'll protect her from danger no matter what. Plus, look at it this way, when the boys come, and try to hurt her, you actually have access to a loaded weapon, so they'll be completely afraid of you and will think twice about doing it," Oliver said. Sam looked at him for a moment and thought about it, a smile crossing his face.

"And hey, the only boy that'll probably be dumb enough to do so, is Diaz's," Jerry joked.

* * *

Slowly the months went by, and with their past Andy and Sam made sure to go to the OB/GYN monthly, to make sure that Andy and the little girl growing inside her was healthy. Andy was lying in bed wide awake. The nursery wasn't finished, Sam, Jerry and Oliver had barely started painting a week ago. They still had some clothing that needed to be bought and the car seat still needed to be installed into the back seat of the brand new car, that Sam had insisted they buy days after he found out she was pregnant.

To be honest, she had been completely surprised, that she had been able to keep it a secret from him for five months, but now here she was four months later, and the other shoe hadn't dropped, she was now only weeks away from her due date and couldn't sleep, because this baby kept deciding to play soccer with her kidneys.

"Ow," Andy said, as she slowly sat up in bed, careful not to wake Sam. Since her ninth month of pregnancy started, he wouldn't let her do anything. All he wanted to do, was treat her like a porcelain doll, but she wasn't. She couldn't just sit by and watch him put the crib, changing table, dresser and everything else that they had bought for the nursery by himself or with Jerry and Oliver. She understood why, though. It was their sixth try and if something happened this far into the pregnancy it wouldn't just kill the baby, but her as well.

"Can you please, stop tap dancing on mommy's kidneys," Andy said, rubbing her stomach, but as she rubbed her stomach, a sharp kick to her side, hit her like a strike of lightening. Andy doubled over in pain, as a contraction hit her. Taking slow breaths, Andy reached behind her and slapped Sam's arm needing him to wake up. It was time. Sam groaned and rolled over, not ready to face the day yet, even if it was three o'clock in the morning.

"Figures," Andy grumbled, "The moment, that I actually need you to wake up, you keep sleeping." Waddeling over to Sam's side of the bed, she leaned over and put her lips by his ear.

"Sammy," she whispered. Sam groaned again at the intrusion.

"Sammy," she whispered, once more, but Sam continued to sleep, getting frustrated, Andy decided that enough was enough and that she needed to get to the hospital, before she had this baby on their bedroom floor.

"Sam Swarek, if you do not get up right now, and stop YOUR daughter from kicking my kidneys I am going to e-mail Jerry and Oliver some very embarrassing pictures of you." And with that statement Sam woke violently and looked around the room to see Andy doubled over in pain from another contraction.

"What's wrong," Sam said, "Is she coming? Is our little girl on her way?" Andy nodded and Sam began scuttling around the room, grabbing clothes and then grabbing the bag, and walking down the stairs and out the door, shutting it behind him forgetting all about Andy, who had doubled over once more. Sam quickly realizing that he had left without Andy, came running back in to see her doubled over in pain.

"Are you okay,' he asked her gently. Andy glares at him. It was very obvious that she was not okay, that his daughter was threatening to bruise every inch of inside her mother.

"Stupid question," he muttered, and help Andy out of the house and into the car.

* * *

It was now late afternoon, early evening and the newest addition to the Swarek family, had yet to make an appearance, and Sam was getting restless as he paced outside the door, of Andy's room. The rest of their friends from the 15th precinct were with them, offering their own silent support.

"God, how long does it take to bring a baby into this world," Dov says, as he continues to flip through the same magazine that he had picked up when he first got there. Sue was rolling her eyes at him, her hands on her own protruding stomach that was carrying their daughter/son. They wanted to be surprised.

Oliver watched Sam closely as he continued to pace in front of the door that lead to Andy's room. She had kicked him out once Traci got there, because he was driving her crazy, with all the questions of 'how are you?' 'Are you sure you don't want me to get anything?' Oliver chuckled quietly to himself, Andy had been in labour for over twelve hours now.

"Hey brotha, you okay," he asked Sam, walking up to him. Sam shook his head.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't think I'm ready to do this," Sam revealed, "I don't think I can actually be responsible for a small child. I barely take care of myself and if it wasn't for Andy, I'd probably be living out of coffee shops and fast food places. Who in their right mind would trust me with a kid?"

"Your wife," Oliver stated, but before he could continue, he was cut off by Traci, who just walked out of the room.

"Sam," she said, "Andy wants you, it's time." Sam looked at Oliver horrified, but the look quickly disappeared, he swallowed thickly and then he walked into the room, to see Andy lying there a look of pain on her face, the doctor at the foot of her bed.

"Sam," Andy called, reaching her hand out to him. Sam quickly walked over to her and took her hand in his, placing a kiss on her forehead, as yet another contraction hit her.

"Okay, Ms. Swarek, on the next contraction I want you to push and count to ten," the doctor instructed, the nurses gathered around. Andy nodded and when the next contraction took place, she did exactly what she was asked too. After ten seconds she let go, and almost collapsed against the bed. Sam stroked her stray hair from in front of her face.

"I hate you. I hate you so much right now," she snapped at him.

"You're doing great, Andy, she's almost here," Sam said, but then a look of fear that crossed the doctor's face, caught his eye.

"What doc," Sam said, still holding his wife's hand.

"There's something wrong," he explained, before turning to the nurse beside him, "We're going to need to perform an emergency c-section, the baby is coming out backwards. The nurse ran off, while the rest of the team, quickly got ready to perform the surgery. Sam started to get afraid, but didn't want to share that fear with Andy, she had enough to worry about. He looked down at her to see that her breathing was shallow and her eyes were closed.

"Andy," he said, trying to wake her up, but she wouldn't wake. A nurse grabbed Sam by the shoulders.

"Sir, we're going to need you to leave the room," the nurse order, almost physically throwing him from the room, once he began to resist her.

"What's going on," he snapped at her.

"Sir, the baby's feet are coming out before the head, she could suffocate, we need you to leave, so we can perform surgery and save both your daughter and your wife," she explained, as she succeeded in throwing him from the room, and slamming the door behind him. Sam leaned against the wall, and sunk to floor. The other shoe had finally dropped.

* * *

Sam stayed in that same position, until Oliver saw him. Oliver walked over and lifted Sam to his feet and walked him over to the waiting room, where everyone else was waiting, having already been informed, by a nurse, that Sam hadn't seen walk by him. Slowly the minutes turned into an hour, and still no news on how Andy and the baby were.

Sam was stoic. He didn't say anything or acknowledge the people around him, until the same nurse, that had thrown him from the room, came to the waiting room, a large smile on her face.

"Mr. Swarek," she called. Sam looked up at her, several questions on the tip of his tongue, but nothing would come out.

"Would you like to meet your daughter?" A wide smile spread across his face, his dimples showing prominently. He nodded and followed the nurse, as she led him back to his wife's room, everyone else waiting, giving the time to the small family. The nurse opened the door, and there Andy was smiling tiredly, having just woken up, a small pink bundle of blankets in her arms. Sam walked over and sat down beside her.

"That's your daddy," Andy said, as she counted the fingers the small little girl had on her fingers. Sam had tears in his eyes, as he looked down at the little one that was looking around the room. Andy offered her to him. Sam looked at Andy, and then nestled the small baby into his arms. It was then that another nurse walked in.

"Do you have a name for the little one," she asked, holding the file in her arms. Andy and Sam shared a look, before Sam looked down at the sleeping baby in his arms, who had fallen asleep seconds after being placed in the safety of her father's arms.

"Veronica, Veronica Andrea Swarek."

* * *

**A/N: Let me know what you think.**

**xo**


	2. The 2 AM Feedings

The 2 AM Feedings

* * *

It didn't matter what time it was, when Veronica started crying in the middle of the night, Sam Swarek was the one that got up to tend to her. Tonight, was no different. So when her shrill cry over the baby monitor woke him and Andy at 2 am, Sam was the one that threw his feet over the side of the bed, grabbed the baby monitor and made his way down the hall and into his daughter's nursery. Rubbing his eyes, he flicked the dim light on and walked over to the dark brown crib, which Oliver and he had built by hand, when Andy was 6 months pregnant.

"Shh," he soothed, reaching into the crib, to grab his two month old daughter. Almost immediately, knowing that she was safe and about to be tended to, Veronica closed her mouth and stopped shrieking at the top her lungs, looking up at her father in wonder. Sam smiled down at her and lifted her carefully into his arms.

"Come on, princess," he said to her and walked over to the changing table, lying her down onto it to check if she needed a diaper change or if she wanted to be fed.

"When you're older," Sam said, unsnapping the snaps on her onesie, "You better remember everything I've done for you." Veronica just kicked her feet, giggling slightly at her father. Sam smiled down at her.

"And you have no idea, what I'm saying to you," he finished. It didn't look like she needed a diaper change, but he changed it anyway just in case. Snapping her onesie closed once more, Sam lifted his daughter back into his arms, and walked out of the nursery and down the stairs towards the kitchen to get a bottle of baby formula. Veronica continued to look up at her father's tired, but smiling face, completely fascinated by it.

Slowly walking into the kitchen, Sam opened the refrigerator door, where he and Andy kept the ready-made bottles, specifically made for these exact feedings. Hugging his daughter to his firm chest, Sam reached into the refrigerator, and grabbed one of the bottles, so that he could heat it up in the microwave. Veronica continued to watch her father in fascination.

"You know from the moment that you were born and looked up at me with those big brown eyes of yours and fell asleep in my arms," Sam began, "I knew I was in trouble. I knew I was wrapped around that tiny little pinkie finger of yours, but you know what little V? I wouldn't exchange these moments for anything in the world." Veronica watched her father, completely hypnotised by the sound of her father's voice.

Wiggling his index finger, Sam tickled his daughter's stomach, causing a small giggle to escape her mouth, before she grabbed it in her small hand. The father and daughter duo, were wrapped up in their own little quiet world, until the microwave beeped disrupting the silence and scaring Veronica slightly. Whimpering, Veronica looked up at her father. Sam looked down at her and cradled her close to his chest, opening the microwave door and taking the bottle out.

"It's okay," Sam whispered, "Daddy's got you. Nothing can hurt you, as long as I have you." Slowly Veronica stopped whimpering, calmed at her father's soothing voice and words. The bottle was hot even to his touch, so he needed to wait, until it was cooler to feed it to her. Holding the bottle in one hand and cradling his daughter into his chest with the other, Sam walked back up the stairs and into the dimly lit nursery, where the rocking chair that Oliver and Zoe had given to them as a baby shower gift four months ago sat in the corner by the window. Sitting down, Sam continued to cradle his daughter in his arms, and rocked back and forth offering the now cool bottle to his daughter.

Veronica sucked on the bottle, looking up at her father. Sam smiled down at her and continued to rock back and forth humming softly to her, as he fed her. Veronica continued to look up at her father, as she drank the formula, listening to the soothing sound of him humming, 'Hey Jude.' Slowly the formula disappeared and Veronica started fussing again. Sam grabbed a blanket off the side of the side of the rocking chair and threw it over his shoulder. Slowly Sam stood up once more and rested Veronica's head on his shoulder, rubbing her back as he paced the room.

Veronica continued to fuss as he did so, feeling extremely uncomfortable with the gas that had built up in her stomach from drinking her formula. Sam continued to pace the width of the dimly lit nursery, rubbing his daughter's small back, hoping to relieve some of the gas build up. His eyes were growing tired, but he continued to pace the room until Veronica let out a small baby burp and spit up a little on the towel. Sam smiled and nestled her back in his arms, throwing the towel in the laundry basket.

"You ready to go back to sleep," Sam smiled down at his daughter, her eyes now drooping close, now that she had a full belly, she extremely tired. Sam rocked her in his arms, continuing to hum 'Hey Jude,' and slowly but surely Veronica fell back to sleep nestled safely in the arms of her father. Careful not to disturb her, Sam gently placed her back into the crib, placed her quilt back on top of her, placing it just above her belly button. Grabbing the baby monitor, Sam walked over to the door and flicked out the light.

Slowly Sam, walked back to his and Andy's room, glad to see that his wife was still fast asleep. Pulling down the covers on his side of his bed, he placed the baby monitor back onto his bedside table and lay back down in bed, placing his head, back onto his pillow, ready to get a little bit more sleep, before he needed to get up again to go to work in a few hours. Smiling, the sounds of his baby daughter's snores, lulled Sam to sleep.

* * *

Four years later, Veronica sat up in bed, hearing a strange noise coming from downstairs. Pulling her new teddy bear, that her daddy bought her from Build-A-Bear, when he took there this afternoon, into her arms, she made her way down the hallway, down the stairs and into the kitchen, where she saw her daddy rummaging through the refrigerator.

"What are you doing daddy," she whispered to him, scaring Sam slightly.

"Daddy's just hungry, Little V, why don't you just go back to bed," Sam said, leaning down to her level. Veronica wiggled her nose and thought about it for a couple of moments. During that time her stomach started to growl. Sam chuckled slightly and pulled out a second bowl, placing it across from his on the table.

"How about we have a bowl of cereal and then we go to bed," he offered. Veronica stroked her chin, like she had seen her Uncle Oliver do many times, before nodding. Veronica climbed into the chair and placed her new teddy on the table as Sam poured a bowl of Nesquik.

"What kind of cereal is this, Daddy," she asked, "Mommy never gives me this."

"It's daddy's favourite cereal," Sam explained, pouring the milk into her bowl and then stirring it slightly. Before her very eyes, the milk began to change from normal to chocolate. She looked up at Sam, her eyes wide.

"Daddy, I think the milk is bad, it just changed colour," Veronica said. Sam chuckled at her again.

"No, Little V, it isn't bad, it just changed flavours, that's all," Sam said, placing the milk back in the fridge, before digging into his own bowl.

"Fl-flav- flavours," she asked, looking curiously at the bowl, before grabbing a couple to put into her mouth. Sam nodded.

"Yep, it changed from the regular old boring milk, to chocolate when I stirred it," Sam explained, continuing to eat his own cereal. Veronica looked at him, still chewing on the few pieces she had just put in her mouth.

"Chocolate milk," she said smiling. Sam nodded, smiling. Veronica giggled slightly, making Sam smile grow a little wider. Veronica smiled down at the bowl and grabbed the spoon, which Sam had placed beside her bowl and began to put some of the cereal and milk into her mouth. Slowly the bowl began to empty and Sam placed them in the dishwasher, while Veronica began to rub her eyes. She was sleepy again. Sam smiled and lifted his daughter into his arms and grabbed her teddy bear off of the table, before climbing the stairs to tuck her back into bed.

Veronica was fast asleep before her head had even hit her pillow. Sam smiled down at his daughter, content to watch her for a few moments, as he placed her teddy bear into her arms, and pulled the blanket up over her shoulder, carefully tucking her back in. After kissing his daughter's head and bidding her sweet dreams, Sam walked out of her room and back into his and his wife's bedroom.

"What took you so long," she asked, as he climbed back into bed, "I thought you were just getting something to eat." Sam smiled at Andy, gathering her in his arms.

"I was, it just took a little longer than I expected," he explained, before falling back to sleep.

* * *

An eight year old, Veronica Swarek and her father, walked down the stairs of their home and straight into the kitchen, both were extremely hungry and they needed to find where Andy hid the Nesquik cereal.

"Not here," Veronica whispered, as she checked the pantry. Sam smiled and continued to rifle through the cupboards beside and on top of the fridge, while Veronica quietly walked over to the bottom cupboards, where Andy and him kept all the pots and pans.

"Not here, either Little V. Did you find anything," Sam said, as he closed the last of the top cupboard doors. Veronica shook her head and closed the doors behind her, but just as she did one of the pots lids, slipped from their place and smash with the pans, making a loud bang. Sam and Veronica shared a look and then the upstairs light flicked on and Andy came running down the stairs to find the father-daughter duo smiling sheepishly at her.

"Are you two trying to find the Nesquik cereal," Andy asked her hands on her hips. Sam and Veronica slowly shook their heads one way and then the other in perfect unison. Andy shook her head smiling, before walking over to the pantry and pulling out the box of Special K.

"Eww mommy," Veronica squealed, "I don't like Special K, I like Nesquik." Sam smiled down at his daughter and looked at Andy confused.

"You promise me, that you'll just have one bowl each and then this little miss and her father will go straight back to bed, before I have to call the chocolate police," Andy said, still holding the Special K box. Both Veronica and Sam shared a look, silently conversing on whether or not they should take Andy's deal. Sam shrugged and nodded, while Veronica nodded as well. Andy smiled and open the Special K box, pulling out the bag and there to the father and daughter duo's surprise was the Nesquik cereal they had been looking for.

"Okay, one bowl each and then you're back to bed," Andy said, handing Sam the bag and walking back upstairs. Sam and Veronica laughed, while they poured the cereal and milk. Andy smiled, at the top of the stair, secretly watching the pair, just in case they snuck another bowl.

"I'm going to have to find a new hiding place for those again tomorrow night," she said, as she placed walked back into her room, waiting for her husband to return, so she could chastise him about feeding their daughter sugary cereal at all hours of the night, when she had school the next day.

* * *

Sam and Andy had just brought Veronica home from the hospital, that morning, on the strict orders that she doesn't do any strenuous activity for the next couple of weeks. Veronica sat up in bed, scared out of her mind, because of the nightmare she just had. She couldn't stay in this room, not the room that Boyd had taken her from.

Slowly she grabbed the teddy bear her father had gotten her twelve years ago, and made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen and to her surprise there sat two bowls of Nesquik cereal. Veronica looked around the room to see her dad, rummaging with the carton of milk trying to open it.

"What are you doing, Daddy," she asked, a small smile on her face.

"Couldn't sleep," he answered, "Thought you probably couldn't either, so I got this all set up for when you got down here." Veronica smiled, and hugged her father, before sitting down at the table, waiting for the father to pour in the milk, like he did that night twelve years ago, when they first started doing this. Smiling at her father, as he sat down across from her, Veronica dug into her bowl of cereal, grateful for some sense of normalcy.

"You okay," he asked, "Sorry, stupid question."

"No it's not," Veronica whispered, "I just had a bad dream and couldn't fall back to sleep, thought maybe a bowl of cereal could help me." Sam nodded.

"You know if you ever need to talk to someone about what happened-"

"I can talk to you," Veronica interrupted, "I know. I think right now, I'm just trying to make sense of it all and try to understand everything better. It'll make me stronger in the long run." Sam smiled, glad for his daughter's strength.

* * *

Two years later, Sam Swarek made his way down the stairs, when he heard footsteps in the kitchen, slowly he stepped into the kitchen to see his daughter sitting at the table, eating a bowl of cereal her head trapped in her psychology test.

"Veronica, you need to get some sleep," he said, "You won't remember anything for your mid-term tomorrow, if you up now."

"Too nervous to sleep daddy," Veronica said, her eyes not leaving the review pages of her textbook, "if I don't pass the exam, my grade goes down to a 70, which will lower my average by 5 percent, and I need to at least stay at an 90 average for the University of Toronto to keep considering me for their psychology program, and if I fall below that-"

"Veronica," Sam interrupted, "Your psyching yourself out. Right now, what you need more than anything in the world right now is sleep, or you're going to fall asleep during your mid-term and you won't be able to finish it and everything you just said will happen. So let's finish our bowls of cereal, while we talk about anything else, but your psychology mid-term tomorrow morning, and then your marching yourself back to bed."

"Dad, I'm not eight anymore, you can't just send me off to bed after our bowl of cereal and late night talks, I need to study," Veronica said, rolling her eyes, before returning back to her text book. Sam laughed.

"No, but I still know what's best for you," Sam said, sitting down with his own bowl of cereal, before grabbing the textbook away from his daughter, "And psyching yourself out is not best for you. Now tell me about Laura's surprise birthday party, what do you, Zack and Dean have planned?"

* * *

A twenty-four year old, Veronica Swarek made her way down her childhood home stairs. There in the kitchen sat her father, eating a bowl of Nesquik cereal. Veronica smiled. Slowly she made her way downstairs and into the kitchen ready to join her father, with her very own bowl of cereal.

"Hi Daddy," she said, "Couldn't sleep?"

"My only daughter is getting married tomorrow," Sam said, as he took another spoonful of cereal and put it in his mouth, "I'm not going to be able to fall asleep."

"Dad," Veronica said, "You'll fall asleep. You always do."

"Not tonight Little V," he said, causing Veronica to smile at the nickname. Pouring milk into her cereal she placed the bowl onto the table, opposite her father. Taking a seat, Veronica dug into her cereal.

"What are you doing up," Sam asked, "I would have thought, you'd need all the sleep you could get."

"Couldn't sleep either," Veronica said, "I'm nervous, excited. I just want everything to turn out perfectly." Sam nodded, and the pair continued to eat their cereal in silence. Sam watched his daughter carefully as they continued to eat in silence.

"You know, when you were little," Sam started, "You use to sneak out of your room at all hours of the night, if I was down here, just to share a bowl of cereal, with your old man, quite like we're doing right now."

"Yeah I know," Veronica said, smiling at the memories, "I also remember mom, hiding the box on us a few times, because she didn't want me to be up all night, due to the amount of sugar in this cereal. Little did she know, it actually put me to sleep." Sam chuckled at the memory. He looked at his daughter, while she continued to eat her cereal.

"You know everything will go perfect tomorrow, right, no matter what happens," Sam said. Veronica looked up at him.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because we're starting the day off with a bowl of Nesquik and a nap before the craziness starts," Sam joked, causing Veronica to laugh quietly and forget about all her worries for tomorrow.

* * *

**A/N: Let me know what you think.**

**xo**


	3. The Monsters in the Dark and Her Nightma

The Monsters in the Dark and Her Nightmares

* * *

Four year old Veronica, was extremely afraid of the dark. She was almost certain that the dark held unspeakable things, and she had a purple monster with yellow fur and big red eyes hiding in her closet, while she had a red monster with purple fur and yellow eyes under her bed. Her night light was on, but it made funny shapes on the wall and the monster in her closet and under her bed were attracted to it, she just knew it.

Hugging her teddy-bear closer to her, Veronica closed her eyes, pulled her blanket right up to her chin and desperately tried to go back to sleep, but it was just no use. That was when she saw it. The shadow beside the closet began to move, her eyes went wide and without a second thought, Veronica let out an ear-splitting shriek, as a wave of tears began pouring down her face.

Within seconds she heard, two sets of heavy footsteps, making their way to her room. Her door was flung open and her bedroom light was turned on. As soon as Sam saw, that his daughter was safe in bed, he patted his way over to the small twin sized bed and sat down on it, hugging his daughter close to his chest.

"Little V, what's wrong," he asked. Veronica looked up at him, rubbing the tears from her eyes.

"There's a monster in the closet and there's one under my bed too," she whimpered, "Make them go away daddy, make them go away." She continued to cry, but instead of checking her walk-in closet for the monster or under the bed, Sam picked up his daughter and brought her downstairs. Along the way he grabbed a couple of pillows and sleep bags and set them up in living room.

"What are you doing daddy," Veronica asked, tear tracks still on her face.

"Well, I can't let my daughter sleep in a room, where two monsters can get her, so you and I are going to camp in the living room, until tomorrow morning and I will get your uncle Oliver and uncle Jerry over here and the three of us can show those monsters that to never mess with a Swarek," Sam explained, as he set up her sleeping bag on the sofa.

"But, daddy can't you take on the monsters by yourself," she asked, looking at her father in wonder.

"I sure can, Little V, but I think Uncle Oliver and Uncle Jerry will feel bad if they didn't get a piece of the monsters that tried to take our Little V from us." Veronica furrowed her small brow for a moment in thought, before looking up at her daddy.

"Will you lie with me, just until I fall asleep," Veronica asked. Sam looked down at his daughter and then looked down at the hard floor, that he had resigned himself to sleeping on. Picking up his daughter, he cradled her body into his chest and made to lie on the couch. Veronica's dark curly hair tickling his nose, as they lay there, his fingers brushing through her unruly mane, but Sam didn't seem to care.

As Sam ran his fingers through her hair, Veronica's eyes began to droop close, sleep finally overtaking her, knowing she was safe within her father's arms, and the monsters in her closet and under bed, wouldn't be able to get her down here, not when her daddy was with. Slowly, but surely Veronica was lulled to sleep. Sam could hear her soft snores, not long after they had lay down. He could hear Andy walking around upstairs, probably grabbing a pillow and sleeping bag of her own, not knowing that she could use the ones he brought for himself. He knew the moment that Veronica had asked to lie down with him, that he wasn't moving, not even for all the money in the world.

"She asleep," asked Andy as she walked into the living room and over to the other couch, getting it ready for her to sleep on. Sam nodded, not wanting to speak just in case it woke Veronica up. One by one the little family fell asleep in the living room.

The next morning, the sun began to creep into the living room windows, Sam squinted his eyes at the bright intrusion. Forgetting what happened last night he was confused about his surroundings, until he saw the small little girl that was lying on his chest, her thumb in her mouth. Sam smiled to himself, running his hand through Veronica's hair. He was content to just lie there until she woke up. Sadly, he didn't have to wait long.

"Hmm," Veronica whined, at the sunlight's intrusion, going to roll over so that the sunlight wouldn't hurt her eyes. Sam seeing what she was about to do, grabbed her before she could roll over and smack her head on the coffee table.

"Come on, Little V," he whispered, "Let's go make some breakfast." Veronica rubbed her eyes with her small fist and nodded. Lifting her up, Sam tiredly walked into the kitchen and sat her on the counter.

"Okay," Sam said, his hands on his hips, "what should we make?"

"Pancakes," Veronica squealed, clapping her hands, causing Sam to smile down at her.

Clapping his hands together, Sam said, "Okay, pancakes it is. Now do you know where Mommy keeps all of the ingredients to make the pancakes?" Veronica giggled at her father.

"Silly daddy," she said, "There in the same place they always are." Veronica pointed over to the pantry where Andy kept all the dry ingredients for pancakes. Sam continued to make the pancakes even after Andy got up. Later that day, Sam would call Oliver and Jerry over to go "hunting for monsters", and Veronica would go to the park with Andy, so she was safely "out of harm's way," so when she went to bed that night, there was no sign of monsters anywhere in the house.

* * *

Six year old Veronica, hadn't been afraid of the dark for quite some time, but now she had a different problem to deal with. Her nightmares. They were different all the time, but they were always scary. Waking up crying, every time she had one. Sometimes she would just fall back to sleep, but then there was the nightmares like the one that she just had, that would keep her awake, starring into the endless darkness that was the night.

Slowly, Veronica peeled the blanket from around her and climbed out of bed, dragging her teddy bear with her. Walking down the hall, she came to the open door of her parents' room. She could hear her father's loud snoring, creeping inside; she walked over to her father's side and tugged on his arm. Sam woke slightly, before going back to sleep. Veronica scowled, tugging on his arm once more. This time it woke him up fully.

"Little V, what's wrong," he whispered, lifting his daughter to sit on his lap.

"I had a bad dream," she answered. Sam nodded and lifted her up and carried her downstairs, going into the kitchen he walked over to the pantry.

"Nesquik or hot chocolate tonight, Little V," he asked. Veronica stroked her chin, just like her Uncle Oli did in thought. She wasn't hungry and Nesquik was for a midnight snack, when her mother didn't hide it from them, and hot chocolate was for when you wanted comfort, but what did she want right now?

"Hot chocolate," she said, after a moment, "With the tiny marshmallows, mommy bought." Sam smiled and nodded, reaching into the pantry for the chocolate sauce and marshmallows. Veronica watched him quietly hugging her teddy bear to her chest.

"Do you want to talk about it," Sam asked, as he put the milk on the stove to heat up. Veronica looked up at her father, still holding her teddy bear tight to her chest. Shaking her head no, she played with the ear of the bear.

"You sure," he asked, "You know when I have something on my mind it always helps if I talk about with someone." Veronica played with her teddy bear's ear for little while longer, as the father-daughter duo waited for the milk to warm, thinking about her nightmare.

"Mommy and you won't ever leave me will you, daddy," she asked. Sam looked away from the stove and down at his daughter, who was looking down at the floor. Turning off the stove, he walked over to her and bent down to her level.

"We will never leave you, Little V. Is that what your dream was about," Sam asked, placing his hands on either side of her small body. Veronica looked up at her father and for the first time, since he brought her down here, did she succumb to tears. Sam grabbed her and lifted her into his arms, hugging her close to his chest, humming 'Hey Jude' as he paced the length of the kitchen, like he used to do when she was younger.

"Your mom and I will never leave you, Veronica. Your our princess, our miracle, and nothing can ever change that and make us want to leave you," Sam said, as he continued to pace the kitchen. Veronica nodded and snuggled herself closer to her father. Sam smiled slightly, happy that she understood that he would never leave her, but something struck him. What would make Veronica dream about Andy and him leaving her?

"Little V," he asked, "What makes you think that mommy and daddy will leave you?" Veronica shrugged.

"Come on, Little V," he said, putting two fingers under her chin, making her look at him, "You can tell me anything."

"This girl at school says, that you and mommy should tell the stork to take me back, because no one likes me," Veronica said, her eyes once again filling with tears. Sam took a deep breath and closed his eyes, not wanting to lose his temper at a moment like this.

"Does she usually say things like this to you," Sam said. Veronica nodded and buried her head back into her father's shoulder. Sam took another deep breath.

"Veronica, I don't want you to listen to her anymore, okay," Sam instructed, "She doesn't know your mom and I, and she has no say in what we do with our lives, while you, Little V, know that mommy and I will never leave you."

"But," Veronica interrupted, "What if I make you mad or you have another baby and you want to send me away?" Sam looked at his daughter in confusion. Andy and he had decided that after the close call when Andy was giving birth to Veronica, that they wouldn't have any more children.

"Little V, is your mommy pregnant," Sam asked, looking at his daughter. Veronica shook her head.

"No," she whispered, "But Auntie Gail is, Uncle Chris doesn't know though, so daddy you can't tell him." Sam chuckled at his daughter's words.

"Okay, I won't tell him, but Little V, why do you think that if mommy and daddy were to have a new baby that we would get rid of you," Sam asked.

"Because that's what Dean told Zack," Veronica explained, "He said, that when our mommies and daddies decide to ask the stork for another baby it's to replace us, but Auntie Traci and Uncle Jerry decided to get rid of the other baby, because they thought Dean and Leo were perfect." Sam shook his head. He was going to have to talk to Jerry about Dean telling tall tales.

"No, Veronica," Sam started, "That's not what happens. Mommies and Daddies decide to ask the stork for more children because they want to add more to their perfect families, and sometimes the stork doesn't listen."

"Okay daddy," Veronica said, before turning back to her father, "Daddy, can I have a little sister?" Sam's eyes went wide at the question.

"Ask your mother."

* * *

Veronica bolted up, as another nightmare ended. Ever since her return home, from the hospital and Boyd's basement two weeks ago, she's had a nightmare every night. The newest one more scarier than the last. Veronica wiped her sweat drenched hair from her forehead and pulled her twelve year old teddy bear into her arms, laying back against her pillow.

"It was just a dream," Veronica whispered to herself, "It was just a dream. Daddy changed the locks days before you even got home, there's a new alarm system in place. The windows are latched shut and you have a lock on your bedroom door, Veronica. Boyd is dead. There is no reason for you to be scared. Scared for your sanity, because you're talking in the third person maybe. Scared of Boyd however, no." Taking a deep breath, Veronica tried to close her eyes once more, but at the sound of someone's footsteps, walking in the front door, heading up the stairs and down the hall towards her bedroom, her eyes flew open once more. Her door opened slowly and there in the doorway stood her dad.

"Daddy," she gasped, tears now starting to cloud her vision. Sam smiled at her and walked over to her bed, sitting down on the edge much like he had done, where she thought there had been monsters under her old bed or a monster in her closet. Veronica looked at him with wide eyes. Sam reached over to her and dragged her into his arms.

"Have another bad dream," he asked, hugging her close to him. Veronica breathed in the familiar scent of his Old Spice cologne. He must have just gotten of his night shift, and wanted to check on her. Nodding, as she buried herself into his shoulder, Veronica broke down into sobs.

"I don't understand," she said.

"What don't you understand Veronica," Sam asked, knowing where this was going, but he wanted to hear her actually say what was on her mind, instead of hiding like she usually did now a days. He really wanted to rip Boyd apart, still does, after everything that he did to his daughter.

"I don't understand why it was me. I didn't know anything that he wanted to know, but he just wouldn't listen. He kept saying awful things and hitting me. I was so afraid daddy, and now I keep reliving it every night in my dreams," Veronica said, as she continued to sob into her father's shoulder, getting tear stains on his t-shirt, not that he really cared.

"I don't know, Veronica. Boyd was pretty messed up right up until the end, so I don't know what to tell you, about why he chose you, but what I can tell you, Veronica," Sam paused, to turn her head, so that she was looking at him, "is you no longer have any reason to be afraid of Boyd. Your Uncle Oli, shot him, he's dead, and he's not going to risk his afterlife in coming after you again, if he knows what's good for him. No one messes with a Swarek." Veronica smiled at the statement.

"It's just my dreams feel so real," Veronica explained, "It's like I'm right back in that basement and he's holding the iron rod against me again and I keep calling for you, but you never come and I'm stuck in that basement until I wake up."

Sam placed both of his hands on either side of her face, making her look him directly in the eye. He could tears clouding her vision, her beautiful eyes completely clouded over.

"Veronica, Little V, my precious daughter, it was just a dream-"

"I know daddy, but-"

"I vowed when your mother was pregnant with you, that nothing would happen and yes, that vow got a little derailed two weeks ago, but I stand by it, no matter what be it a killer butterfly," Sam paused, when he heard a giggle escape his daughter's mouth, "To the world ending, nothing will stop me from keeping that vow." Veronica looked up at her father and nodded. She took a deep breath and wrapped her arms around his waist. Sam kissed his daughter's head and helped her lie back down.

"Do you want me to go make you some hot chocolate, before you go back to sleep," he asked. Veronica thought about it for a moment, but shook her head.

"Can you just lie here, until I fall back to sleep," she asked, looking at her father with wide eyes. He smiled down at her, remembering the four year old girl that he camped out in the living room with when "monsters" had taken over her room. Sam nodded and made to lie down on her bed above the blankets. Pulling Veronica beside him, he wrapped an arm around her, as she lay her head against his chest. Brushing his hand through her tangled hair, Sam began to hum 'Hey Jude,' just like he did when she was younger and couldn't fall back to sleep. Soon her soft snores could be heard.

"Sweet dreams, Little V," Sam said, as he lay her head against the pillows, pulling her blankets to her shoulder. Creeping quietly out of her room, he smiled. It hadn't been the first night, that she had a nightmare concerning her three days in Boyd's basement, but it had been the first time that she had openly talked about it, without just claiming that she just wanted to figure everything out.

Shutting her bedroom door behind him, Sam walked down the hall to his and Andy's room, ready to get some sleep, before his wife's alarm clock would go off, in time for her to start her shift. These next few months wouldn't be easy. Veronica's psyche was fragile right now, but with some help from him and Andy, she'd be fine. And that's all that really mattered to him, because Veronica was his daughter.

* * *

**A/N: Let me know what you think…**

**xo**


	4. Those Special Firsts

Those Special Firsts

* * *

It had been three months since Sam and Andy brought Veronica home. She had a terrible colic during the first weeks, but slowly Veronica would sleep at night, but she had yet to sleep through the entire night and Sam was slowly starting to become exhausted. It wasn't that he didn't like his little late night chats with his daughter, even if she won't remember them when she gets older, it's just that he needs some sleep. He's up at all hours of the night for Veronica, because he knows that Andy hardly gets any sleep during the day and then he's at work, chasing down drug monkeys and helping to investigate car crash scenes.

"You think you can sleep through the night for daddy," Sam said, as he lay Veronica gently in the luke warm water filled baby tub. Veronica just looked up at her father. He knew that she wasn't able to understand him yet, but in the longer run it might help when she was ready to learn how to talk, not that he was ready for that.

Veronica continued to lie calmly in the bath as Sam bathed her. The first few times that they would give Veronica her bath, either he or Andy would come out sopping wet, due to all the struggling, but slowly Veronica got use to the feeling. Veronica smiled up at her father.

"You know," Sam said, "Even though, I know it's gas, I'm glad to see you smiling Little V." Tickling her stomach, her pulled her out of the bath and wrapped her in a nice warm fuzzy pink blanket, one of the many that Traci and Jerry had bought for them. Sam could remember grumbling about all the pink stuff that people had bought for them. Pink bears, pink blankets, pink towels, pink baby bags, pink everything that you could possibly think of, but as the months went by and seeing Veronica all warm and cozy in the fuzzy pink towel, Sam learned to not mind it so much.

Veronica giggled a little, as Sam dried her off with the towel, causing Sam to smile down at his daughter.

"You ticklish, huh," he asked, Sam continued to tickle her tummy, as he pulled her footie pyjama with kittens all over it on. Sarah had given this to them. Veronica continued to giggle and then she grabbed onto his finger.

"I love you, Little V," Sam whispered, as he snapped each of the buttons closed. Veronica let loose a quiet yawn, causing Sam to melt just a tiny bit at how adorable his daughter was. Andy walked in and leaned against the door jamb.

"Someone looks tired," Andy said, as Sam lifted Veronica into his arms, cradling her against his chest, her head, buried deep in his shoulder. Andy rubbed her daughter's back, before walking towards the nursery, Sam following behind.

This was their nightly ritual. Every night since they brought Veronica home, Sam or Andy would give her a bath just before bed and then they would both put her down in her crib, turning on her musical mobile and they would silently watch until Veronica's eyes would droop close and then they would silently exit the room after turning off the mobile and turning on the baby monitor.

Sam slowly lowered Veronica into the crib, as Andy turned on the Disney Princess mobile, and slowly the familiar tunes of 'If You Can Dream' softly filled the air. Veronica watched as the mobile turned around and around and soon her eyes drooped closed, just like they did every night. Sam smiled at Andy, as she turned off the mobile and turn on the baby monitor before the exited the nursery. Sam yawned as he closed the door.

"It looks like someone else is tired," Andy whispered, as the pair walked towards their room. Sam nodded, continuing to yawn.

"Nothing a few hours of sleep won't fix, until Veronica wakes up again," he said, climbing into bed, not caring if Andy turned on the TV or not. He really needed to get some sleep, but sadly it seemed that every two hours, he would wake up, his body use to it after three months, but instead of Veronica's usual cries, all he heard were her soft baby snores.

As the morning sun, crept into the master bedroom, Sam stretched and rolled over to face his wife, trying to escape the day, not wanting to go to work, but it was then that he realised what had happened. His eyes flew open, and jumped over Andy, running down the hallway and into the nursery, where Veronica's soft baby gurgling could be heard. He looked down into the crib at his wide awake daughter, but nothing seemed a miss. No awful smell filled the air, Veronica didn't have tears streaks running down her face and she didn't look like she was starving. Veronica actually slept through the night.

"You knew daddy was tired didn't you," Sam said, as he reached down into the crib, bringing Veronica into his arms. Veronica giggled and wrapped her hand around her father's finger as he went to tickle her once more. He smiled and kissed his daughter's forehead. It was then that he noticed that Andy was behind him.

"She sleep through the night," she asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Sam nodded.

"It looks like she did," he answered, as he lay Veronica down on the changing table, unsnapping the buttons on her footie pyjamas to check if her diaper needed to be changed at all. Andy smiled and sat down in the rocking chair watching the man she loved tend to their daughter, before he would need to jump in the shower to get ready for work.

* * *

Sam, Oliver, Jerry and Frank were all watching the Super Bowl in the Williams' basement with half of the Brat Brigade. It didn't matter how many times Sam and Jerry begged and pleaded with Andy and Traci to let them watch the game without the kids, they would not give up their girls weekend and their husbands were forced to watch their kids. Secretly, Sam didn't mind. If he started Veronica young enough, maybe she'd continue to watch the games with him as she grew older.

So far, little Veronica was more interested in sucking on her big toe or smacking her uncle Jerry in the face, every time he tried to pick her up, instead of the game. Jerry's son, Dean, was also with them and much like his father he was enthralled with the game. Traci, however thought it was the many different colours on the screen.

"So, have they started walking yet," Oliver asked Sam and Jerry, when the game went to commercial, as he threw come pretzels in his mouth.

"Yeah, I've been meaning to ask," Frank said, as he walked back into the basement with a six pack of beer. Sam reached into the bowl of peanuts as Jerry lifted Dean onto his feet.

"When he feels like it," Jerry said, as he set Dean on his feet, "Sometimes if Traci is going into the kitchen, he'll get up, take a few steps and then fall to the floor. He'll cry and Traci will come and pick him up and take him with her. Otherwise this boy is stationary." Sam laughed. He looked down at Veronica was playing with her stuffed bunny.

"What about Veronica, Sam, she walking yet," Oliver asked, as he smiled down at his goddaughter. Sam shook his head.

"She seems content just crawling everywhere or Andy and I carrying her," Sam explained, "Maybe she sees a lot more of the world that way."

"She won't be able to walk until she's two, if you and Andy keep carrying her everywhere," Oliver said. Sam shrugged.

"She'll walk when she's ready," Sam said, "To be honest. I'm not ready for her to start walking or talking yet."

"Well, let's see if we can get her walking now," Jerry said, placing Dean in Sam's arms, he reached for Veronica, picking her up from the floor, leaving her bunny where she had just been. Veronica looked a little miffed at being moved, and started to wiggle her arms.

"Uh, Jerry I don't think she likes that," Oliver said, as he watched the uncle and niece stand behind the couch.

"She's also been hitting you in the face all afternoon," Sam said, "So why don't you just leave my daughter the way you found her and let's get back to watching the game." Jerry shook his head and put Veronica on feet, holding her up.

"It might work and if she takes her first steps, Andy might feel bad about leaving her here," Jerry said, as he tried to set Veronica on her feet once more, the little having lifted them up, when her determined uncle wasn't looking.

"No," Sam said, "That would just get me a night on the couch, if I don't record Veronica's first steps for Andy to see when she gets home."

"Oh come on Sam," Jerry said, "Give Dean to Frank or Oli, and then got stand a few feet away from me and V. She come to you, if you call her."

"My daughter is not a dog Jerry," Sam said, but proceeded to get up anyway, "You can't train her to come whenever you call her." Jerry rolled his eyes, as Sam knelt on the floor a few feet away from Veronica and Jerry. Veronica looked at her father, a small look of confusion on her face.

"Come on, Veronica, come to daddy," Sam said. Veronica looked at Sam and then looked up at Jerry. Jerry let go of her hands and Veronica bringing out her stubbornness sat on the floor, and then got onto and knees and crawled towards her father. Sam laughed, as he picked her up, looking at the scowling Jerry.

"She wasn't supposed to do that," Jerry said, causing Oliver and Frank to peel into laughter as well.

"Veronica is a smart baby, Jer," Sam said, as he cradled his daughter to his chest.

"And she's as stubborn as her mother and her father," Oliver interjected, "She'll walk when she's ready."

"That or she doesn't trust Jerry to catch her if she falls, before she can get into Sam's reach," Frank said, "It would explain she keeps hitting you in the face."

"No, that," Sam started, "Was because I punched him in the arm last night at 15th and she saw, so now one of her favourite past times is hitting her uncle Jerry." Jerry pouted, taking a seat between Oliver and Frank.

"I don't like any of you," he said, causing the other three to fall into fits of laughter. Sam set Veronica at his feet, and walked towards the stairs. Oliver came up and picked Veronica up and set her on her feet. Veronica looked miffed once more. She didn't like where this was going.

"Sam," Oliver called, "Let's try it. You and me, maybe if I'm the one that's behind her, when she's walking towards you, she'll actually take a few steps." Sam looked at his partner exasperated.

"Okay," he relented. Kneeling down again, Sam looked at Veronica.

"Come on, Little V, come to daddy," Sam called once more. Veronica looked around the room, at the several men looking at her. Frank pulled out his cell phone, ready to record it, just in case Veronica did in fact take her first steps. Oliver let go of her hands and Veronica stood stable. She looked over at her father and he continued to hold his arms out for her to walk into.

Veronica took one feeble step and then another, and then one more before she fell right into Sam's arms. Smiling Sam planted a huge kiss on his daughter's chubby baby cheek, as the rest of them cheered, all missing the last touchdown before the half-time show.

"You did it, Little V, you took your first steps," he whispered, in her ear, "I am so proud of you."

* * *

Sam sat with Veronica in the kitchen feeding her small pieces of banana. She was walking now, but Andy was slightly worried that she wasn't talking yet. Sam, however, thought just like he did, when before she could walk, when she's ready she'll do it.

"I'm thinking about talking her to see a psychiatrist who specializes with small children and babies," Andy said, as she walked into the kitchen, and opening the fridge. Sam couldn't help, but roll his eyes. He loves his wife deeply, always will, but at this point she was driving him crazy with all the worrying about Veronica not talking yet.

"Andy," Sam said, placing the banana slices on the table away from Veronica's high chair, "When she is ready to speak, she will. We have to give her time. Kids all develop at different ages, just because Dean and Zack are already talking doesn't mean that Veronica has too. Laura hasn't even started walking yet."

"Are you saying girls are dumb," Andy said. Sam groaned.

"No Andy," Sam argued, "I am not saying that girls are stupid, what I'm saying is that Dean and Zack may already be talking, but let's face it, Dean's first word was a swear word, because Jerry gets a little too into his work at home, and Zack had already called his paternal grandmother a bitch, because Gail can't keep her negative feelings about her mother-in-law a secret from an impressionable child. Do we really want Veronica talking to us right now?"

"We don't swear around her, Sam," Andy argues back, "I highly doubt the first word that will come out of her mouth is a swear word."

"We may not," Sam said, "But we all know that Jerry has a mouth on him. Why Traci lets him even speak around Dean is surprising, but Veronica could hear those words from anywhere."

"Sam," Andy starts.

"No, Andy. She will talk when she's ready, but I will make a promise to you-"

"Dada," came a small voice behind the pair. Both Andy and Sam looked at their daughter in the high chair who was trying to reach for the banana slices on the table, but having no such luck, because she was stuck in her high chair. Sam walked over to her and picked her up.

"What did you say Little V," Sam asked, but Veronica didn't look at him. She continued to look and reach for the banana slices on the table, like they held the answers for everything in the world.

"Dada," she cried again, this time looking at Sam, but then back at the banana slices. Sam continued to laugh, hugging her tightly to his chest, as Andy continued to smile and jump around happily that Veronica was finally talking. Still with all the commotion, Veronica was trying to reach for the banana slices.

"Dada," she whined, "Nana." Sam smiled and grabbed a banana slice, handing it to her for her take into her hands and feed herself, a smile on her face, now that she had what she wanted.

"Dada," she cheered, as she took the banana slice into her hands and promptly shoved it into her mouth, causing both Sam and Andy to laugh gleefully, not caring about the sticky mess that now was on her hands and surrounding her mouth. Sam kissed his daughters forehead and placed her back into her high chair, placing a few of the banana slices in front of her.

"See," Sam said, "She was ready to say something, and she said it. No reason to take her that psychiatrist now. She's normal." Andy smiled and kissed Sam's cheek.

"You're lucky, our daughter just started talking and it wasn't a swear word, otherwise that smart ass comment would have gotten you a night on the couch," Andy said, as she leaned down and kissed her daughter's head, going to go call Traci and her dad and tell them the good news.

"You know what Little V," Sam said, as held up a banana slice for her to take.

"Dada," she said, her head cocked to the side.

"I'm glad that you're talking now," Sam whispered to her, "Truth is, I was a little worried that you wouldn't talk to us. And I was a little worried that when you did start talking that you would be able to swear at us, but you know what I'm glad that it wasn't. I'm proud of you. I'm even happier that your first word was 'dada." He kissed her head, leaving her to finish eating her bananas as he wet a paper towel, so that he could clean up the mess that she was making, squishing them in her fists, before shoving what wasn't mush into her mouth.

"You're growing up, Little V," he whispered to her, "Soon you'll talking more, walking a little better and I won't know what to do with myself. Sometimes I wish you could stay this small forever, that all the dangers in the world can't affect you, but at the same time I'm excited to see the person you'll be become. Can you promise me something, Little V? Promise me, that you won't grow up too fast, just stay small a little while longer." Sam looked down at Veronica cleaning her hands, as he whispered everything to her, completely unaware that Andy was standing behind him smiling.

"Dada," Veronica said, lifting her arms up, signalling that she wanted to be lifted. Sam smiled down at her.

"Yeah," he whispered back to her, "Dada."

* * *

**A/N: Let me know what you think…I sure enjoyed writing this one.**

**xo**


	5. Those Late Nights at the Office

Those Late Nights at the Office

* * *

Sam rocked Veronica's car seat back and forth trying to get her to fall back to sleep. Usually the tiniest Swarek wouldn't be at the 15th precinct, because face it, a police station was no place for a baby to be, and usually Veronica would be at her grandfather's for the evening if, both Andy and he had to work the night shift that night.

But, tonight was just one of those nights. Those nights meant that Andy and Sam were both scheduled to work the night shift and Tommy's AA meeting was that night as well. That was usually delt with as well. Either Sam or Andy, depending on who's turn it was would take the night off and would stay at home with Veronica, or Izzy Shaw, who was now Izzy Franko would watch her.

Tonight, however, was an extremely special circumstance. Both Andy and Sam had to work the nightshift, but neither one of them could get out of it, since 15th needed all hands on deck, Tommy had an AA meeting and Izzy Franko's wedding anniversary tonight, leaving absolutely nobody to care for any of the children of 15th.

"She still not sleeping," Andy said, handing Sam a cup of coffee. Sam shook his head.

"I've tried everything, humming 'Hey Jude', rocking her to sleep, but Veronica seems to be caught up in the hustle and bustle of 15th at its busiest," Sam said as he continued to rock the car seat.

"We'll have to be careful or we might have another cop in the family," Andy said, walking away to talk to Traci about the crime scene, she had just been at. Sam looked away from his computer and over to Veronica, who was watching him rather intently.

"Veronica Andrea Swarek, whatever you do, do not become a cop," he said, turning the car seat to face him, "Being a cop isn't all its crapped up to be. You have to chase bad guys and your constantly in the line of fire and I don't want you anywhere near-"

"What are you doing," said a voice behind him. Sam turned to see both Oliver and Jerry standing there small smiles on their faces.

"She seems far too interested in what's happening here, and I don't want my daughter to grow up and become a cop," same explained. A chuckle escaped Oliver's mouth.

"Why," Oliver asked, "You afraid, she'll break all of your records at the academy or maybe even worse…she'll marry a cop, just like her mother did?"

"Oh yeah and aren't you afraid, your youngest daughter Rachel, is going to marry a cop," Sam said, lifting an eye brow at Oliver. Oliver looked at him and shrugged his shoulders.

"I can't help, who she falls in love with," he said.

"But do you want her to marry a cop?"

"Dear God, no," Oliver conceded, "The hours are awful, he'll never be home. It'll be easier on her if she marries someone who can keep normal hours."

"Wow," Jerry said, listening to them both, "So basically you don't want your daughters possibly marrying guys like you."

"Yup," Sam said, popping the p.

"What if Veronica married one of the brat brigade," Jerry asked, "Would you be okay with that?"

"Depending on which one it was…," Sam said, trailing off to look at his daughter, who was looking up at the three men very interested in their conversation, but Sam knew that she ws barely able to understand what they were saying.

"Fine," Jerry said, "Twenty bucks says, that Veronica falls in love with my son, Dean, who will be following in both mine and Traci's footsteps and become a detective." Oliver scoffed, causing Jerry to turn to him.

"You going to put your money where your mouth is Shaw," Jerry said, pulling out a twenty dollar bill from his wallet, and slamming it on the desk in front of Sam. Oliver looked to Jerry, to Sam and then to the twenty dollar bill on the desk. Pulling out his own twenty dollar bill and slamming it on top of Jerry's.

"I'll take that," Oliver says, "But Veronica will fall in love with Zack Diaz, neither one of them will become cops or detectives." Sam watched amused, while Jerry and Sam bickered over who Veronica would marry, not that either of them would even remember this bet, when it came down to actually collecting the money. Turning towards Veronica, he scooped his daughter into his arms and looked to paper work.

Humming 'Hey Jude' once more, Sam tuned Jerry and Oliver's bickering out, hoping that Veronica would fall asleep, and she wouldn't be up half the night, because of where they were. Veronica's head was tucked into the crook of his neck and her thumb was in her mouth. Slowly as the familiar tune of 'Hey Jude' filled her ears, Veronica tuned all other noise out and her eyes began to droop close. Sam continued to hum, as he finished his paperwork. After finishing ahalf of it, he looked to his daughter, who was peacefully sleeping in father's arms. Sam yawned slightly.

He himself was tired as well, but he needed to finish all his paperwork before he could go home. Slowly he pulled Veronica away from his chest to place her back in her car seat, but when a small whimper escaped her mouth, he pulled her right back into his chest. He could hold her just until they had to go home, that would be no problem. In fact it would be his pleasure.

* * *

Veronica watched with her aunt Traci as her father interrogated the man he caught only moments ago with her uncle Jerry. It was one of those nights again in which she would need to stay at the 15th precinct, due to the circumstances. She was okay with it. In fact she liked the happenings at the precinct, catching criminals, collecting evidence, finding out what it all meant, but being a cop wasn't what she desired. That and she promised her daddy she would never become a cop.

"I need you to look at this picture," she heard her daddy ask the man, who was absolutely refusing to look at the photo of the girl that her mommy said was missing and dearly missed by those that loved her.

"I haven't seen her," the man said.

"How do you know if you haven't seen her," Uncle Jerry said to the man, "You absolutely refuse to look at the picture."

"I know man," Sam said, "I know you don't want to rat out your buddy or your brother or whatever, but this girl has diabetes and if she doesn't get her insulin, she could die. So I need to know if you've seen her." Finally the man looked at the photo that Sam was holding. Veronica watched from behind the glass as the man's jaw clenched and he looked down at the table.

He was silent for a moment and then he looked to Jerry and Sam.

"She was sitting in the window, of that coffee shop on Jarvis St. the last time I saw her," he explained, that was about two hours ago. She was with some guy. He had dark hair, long and he had his arm wrapped around her, but she looked scared," the guy explained. Sam looked to Jerry and he nodded. Sam looked to the glass window and walked out of the interrogation room and into the room in which Veronica sat.

"Okay, I need to go and look for this girl will you be okay," Sam asked, running his hands through his daughter's hair. She nodded her head, looking up at her father. Sam smiled, his dimples prominent.

"That's my girl," he said, kissing her forehead before walking out the door to join everyone else. Veronica walked out of the interrogation room with her aunt Traci behind her, and over to her father's desk. There sat her Scooby-Doo backpack and everything she would need to draw her mommy and daddy a picture each.

Silently Veronica sat at her father's desk, drawing the different pictures, taking extreme care with each detail that she drew taking her time, just like her art teacher had taught her. Slowly each the pictures were finished, but still her dad still wasn't back. Veronica looked up at the clock. It was follow the little hand…9, and then the little hand 6…count by fives 30…it was 9:30. She stretched and yawned. It was already half an hour past her bedtime and her daddy had yet to make an appearance. Gathering her jacket out of her bag, she wrapped it around herself and closed her eyes in her father's desk chair.

An hour later, Sam and the other officers walked in. Sam walked over to his desk and saw his small five-year old daughter curled up on his chair, covered in her pink rain coat, softly snoring. He smiled and walked over to the locker room, it was time to get changed out of his uniform and head home with his precious daughter in tow.

Sam picked Veronica up from his chair, once he got back, a small whimper escaping her mouth, but she did not wake.

"Shh, princess let's go home," Sam said, grabbing their bags and heading out the door.

* * *

Just like any other night, Veronica could not sleep, her father Sam Swarek was working tonight and no matter what way she turned, she could not get comfortable enough for sleep to overtake her. She hated when her father worked nights, she was never to sleep out of fear for his safety and no matter what she did she couldn't keep her mind off it. It wasn't often that he worked the later shifts, but when he did it became a nightmare for her, especially after being trapped in Boyd's basement two years ago.

Slowly Veronica crept out of bed, finally giving up on sleep and slowly felt her way around the darkness of her room. It didn't matter if she just wore, a tank top, her warm silk pyjama bottoms, and a hoodie, mostly because she would only be making two stops; the twenty-four hour diner just down the street from the 15th Precinct to get her father a sandwich and the 15th Precinct. Peeking out her bedroom door, Veronica looked to the master bedroom. The lights were out, which meant her mother, Andy Swarek was fast asleep, but just like herself, her mother was a light sleeper, which meant that Veronica would have to be extremely quiet when walking down the stairs.

Skipping the fourth and second stair from the bottom, since they squeaked rather loudly, Veronica crept into the downstairs hallway, and into the kitchen, penning a note to her mother, as not to worry her, if she did wake up and discovered Veronica was missing from her bed. Pulling on her Uggs and winter coat, Veronica grabbed her keys from the hook by the door and slowly crept her way outside into the chilling winter Toronto air. Pulling out of the driveway and onto the road, Veronica drove to the diner, quietly humming to the tunes of late night FM radio, that seemed to only play songs from when she was younger.

Pulling into the parking lot of the diner, she walked towards the door and pulled it open.

"Hi Veronica," said the late-night, red-headed waitress, that was used to seeing Veronica on these nights, "Your dad working late tonight?"

"Yes Molly," Veronica said, smiling slightly, "Daddy's got the late shift, and I thought I would bring him a sandwich."

"So the usual then," Molly asked, as she walked over to the deli counter of the diner. Veronica nodded.

"Make mine and Oliver's too please," Veronica said, thinking back to the small dinner she and her parents had shared, before Sam had rushed out the door to start his shift, as she watched the kind-eyed waitress make the sandwiches. She also knew that if she brought dad something and not her uncle Oliver something, she would never hear the end of it.

"So one ham, cheese, peppers and bacon on white with an extra helping of coleslaw and black coffee. A ham, cheese, tomato, bacon and salami with extra mayo on rye, an extra helping of coleslaw, two chocolate chip cookies and black coffee," said Molly, as she handed Veronica her father's and Oliver's usual, "And a BLT on whole wheat, extra lettuce and bacon and a chocolate milk." Veronica smiled and paid the nice waitress, leaving a nice generous tip behind, before walking to her car. Veronica got in and turned her car back on, pulling safely out of the parking lot and into the almost empty Toronto streets.

The drive to the 15th Precinct was short, pulling into the guest parking lot. Veronica turned off her car and gathered the sandwiches and drinks into her hands, putting her keys into her pocket. The air cold air hit Veronica in the face as she opened her car door.

"It just had to be the middle of winter," Veronica mumbled as she walked towards the front doors. Veronica pulled the door of the fifteenth precinct open, and stepped inside, almost running into her uncle Oliver.

"Hi V," Oliver said, as he took a step back, "What are you doing here at this time of night?"

"Couldn't sleep," she said, "So I brought Dad and you, your usuals." Holding up the tray of sandwich's and drinks. Oliver smiled, forgetting about that he was on his way to the Black Penny and led his goddaughter towards Sam's desk, taking the black coffee from Veronica.

"Hey Sammy," Oliver called, "We got a visitor!"

"Who," Sam called back, not looking up from his paper work.

"Hi daddy," Veronica said, taking the other black coffee out of the tray and handing it to her father, along with his sandwich. Sam smiled and thanked his daughter. Sam took grabbed two chairs and they all sat gathered around Sam's desk. Oliver moaned a little as he took a bite out of his sandwich.

"Veronica," Oliver asked, as he swallowed, "Why is it that you can always get our orders right, but when we send the rookies out to get us food, they somehow always seem to get it wrong?"

"Because I'm my dad's daughter and your goddaughter," Veronica explained, "I'd be riding the guilt train a lot longer than the rookies would if I messed up." Sam laughed and took another bite from his sandwich, looking inside the bag to see what else his daughter brought for them.

"And you brought Molly's coleslaw, and cookies," Sam said.

"I know how much you like them, so I made sure that I got the entire usual," Veronica said, sipping at her chocolate milk. Slowly three talked and did away with their sandwiches.

"Thanks again, V," Oliver said, before he got up and left. Sam sighed and looked back at his paperwork.

"You should probably head home, your mother is probably worries about you," Sam said, as he took back to typing up his reports. Veronica watched her dad slowly type, having a little trouble deciphering his own handwriting more than once.

"Wrote her note," Veronica said, "Dad, do you want me to type that up? I'm a faster typer than you are."

"I can't ask you to do that V," Sam said, continuing to type up his newest report.

"Why?"

"I just can't," Sam said.

"Daddy," Veronica said, causing Sam to look at her, "You and I both know how this is going to work. You and I are going to sit here going back and forth about who should type the report, but you and I both know that I'll end up typing it up, because you have trouble deciphering your own handwriting and the longer we go back and forth the longer we're here and not home in our nice warm beds."

"You could always go home and be in your nice warm bed," Sam said, crossing his arms, listening to his daughter in amusement.

"Yeah, but you and I both know, that I won't be able to fall asleep until you're home, so let's just save us both the trouble and move over." Sam laughed and moved out of his chair allowing his daughter to sit at the computer and type up the report.

"How did I deserve such a great daughter," Sam asked, kissing his daughter on the forehead, as he led her towards his and Andy's shared car promising to drive her to pick up her own car in the afternoon.

"You were probably a priest in another life," Veronica joked looking at her father. Sam smiled down at her.

* * *

**A/N: Hi Everyone, **

**I hoped you enjoy it. Did anyone see last night's episode? Holy shit, I was so scared Oliver would shoot that guy while his daughter was watching, but you also know what they say never, mess with an over protective father with access to guns…**

**xo**


	6. From Boyfriend to Fiance to Husband

From Boyfriend to Fiancé to Husband

* * *

An almost sixteen year old Veronica waltzed into the living room slightly dazed texting on her phone continuously a large love struck smile on her. Her father, Sam was watching, while her mother Andy was in the kitchen making their dinner for that night. It was one of those nights where neither Sam nor Andy had to work and the Swareks were glad to have a night to themselves.

"Who do you keep texting," Sam said, as he looked at his daughter love struck face. Veronica looked up at him.

"Zack," she said, sighing slightly. Sam raised an eyebrow at his daughter.

"Oh yeah," Sam said, sipping at his can of ginger ale, "Does he need help with his homework again or something." Veronica shook her head.

"Nope," she said, popping the p.

"Oh really," Sam teased her, "Than why are you two texting so much?" Suddenly the happy, love struck look that was on Veronica's face was replaced for a few seconds with a nervous one. She was completely unaware on how her father would take this. He was over protective. He had access to an entire arsenal of guns and several officers to man those guns. If she told him, she had a boyfriend, much less that her boyfriend was Zachary Diaz, he might get a little over protective, but then again the fact of lying to her father, hiding her relationship with Zack didn't sit well with her either.

"Daddy," she said.

"Yes?"

"What would you say or do if I told you that I was dating someone," Veronica asked, a slightly nervous look on her face. Sam's eyes went wide, he put his can of ginger ale, on the table and he turned to look at his daughter.

"Who is it, Veronica," he asked her. Veronica hesitated.

"Who is it, Veronica," Sam repeated.

"Zack Diaz," Veronica whispered. Sam looked at her. It was so quiet that he could barely hear her, but Sam was sure the name that had come from his daughter's mouth was in fact Zack Diaz.

"Can you say that, again," Sam asked.

"Zack Diaz," Veronica said, slightly louder than she had before. Sam sat back against the coach slightly shocked at his daughter's confession to dating Chris Diaz's kid. Zack had been the one that no one really expected Veronica to fall for; Jerry's kid, Dean, yes, but Zack, nope. Okay, maybe not everybody expected it to be Dean, in fact Oliver had put twenty bucks on it being Zack, but to Sam it was slightly unlikely.

Dean Barber was the bad boy, the kind of guy that Veronica usually liked and fell for…on television in fact she had fallen for Puck from Glee, Dean Winchester of Supernatural and Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries during the first episode of their respected shows. She had a thing for bad boys, but Zack…Zack was so far off of Bad Boy that he wouldn't have been even able to fake it.

Veronica watched her father in worry. She knew that her father wouldn't take it well. She knew better than to tell him, but lying to him just didn't seem right. She had an always be honest policy with her father.

"Daddy," she called to him, placing her hand on his shoulder. Still deep in thought, Sam looked at his daughter; memories flashing in front of his eyes of the little girl that loved to draw and read.

"Daddy," Veronica tried again, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, baby girl," Sam said, shaking his head, "Just fine. Veronica?"

"Yeah, daddy?"

"Does he make you happy," he asked her seriously, taking her delicate hand in his. Veronica looked at her father, now deep in thought herself.

"I think it's too early to tell," she answered honestly, "But I think he could. He's honest, a great guy and he reminds me of someone."

"Who?"

"You," she answered honestly, "He's kind of stubborn, but when it really matters to me, he'll let me have my way. He doesn't have a completely screwed up past, so I don't feel this over compulsive need to fix him and he cares about his family and friends, so he's loyal enough, so that I know he won't ever hurt me intentionally." Sam nodded; yeah Zack was a lot like him in all those ways. Sam slumped against the back of the couch, grabbing his can of ginger ale off the wooden coffee table as he did.

"Let's invite him over for dinner this weekend, your mother and I have the weekend off," Sam said, Veronica smiled and leaned forward wrapping her slender arms around her father's neck squealing slightly in delight.

"Thank you, thank you, daddy," she said.

"Now wait just one moment," Sam said, trying to act serious, the threat of a smile creeping onto his face slightly, "I never said that you could date him. Saturday, will give me the chance to girl this boy to see if he is in fact good enough for my little girl."

That Saturday saw the Swareks and Zack Diaz all sitting in the Swareks' dining room enjoying a home cooked meal. Sam had a glare permanently fixed on Zack, making him slightly uncomfortable, causing him to shift in his seat a lot. At the end of the meal, Sam called Zack out into the back yard.

"So, Zack," Sam said, looking out across the large backyard, the lights from the garden and in ground pool lighting up the summer night, "I know that you're a good kid, so I have no problems with you dating Veronica, but Zack?"

"Yes, sir," Zack said still slightly nervous, even though he's known Sam for his entire life.

"If you ever plan on hurting my little girl," Sam started, "and I mean this. If you ever plan on hurting her, you know that I won't hesitate in hunting you down and hurting you and I have access to entire arsenal of guns and a whole lot of man power to back me up."

* * *

"What are you doing here, daddy," Veronica said, sideling onto a bar stool beside her father at the Black Penny, her new engagement ring glinting in the low light of the bar.

'It's not every day that you find out that your daughter is getting married in less than eight months time," Sam said, sipping on the beer that sat in front of him. Veronica smiled, as the bar tender handed her a beer.

"You knew this was happening daddy," she said, "Zack told me, how he even went to the house to ask your permission. You must've given it to him or I wouldn't be wearing the ring." Sam looked at her.

"No use looking at me that way," Veronica said, "You and I both know that Zack is way too scared of you to even think about putting this ring on my finger without so much as asking for your blessing." Sam smiled and nodded.

"Are you happy," Sam asked her, taking another sip from his beer.

"Yeah," Veronica answered, taking a sip from her own beer, "He takes care of me, makes me laugh, makes sure that I go to a psychologist." Sam nodded, looking down at the glittering ring on his daughter's finger. It was beautiful ring; Zack had definitely made the right choice.

"Do you like your ring," Sam said, pointing to the ring. Veronica nodded.

"I absolutely love it," Veronica said, fiddling with silver ring on her finger, "It may be kind of small, but you know what, it doesn't matter how big the diamond is, it's what it stands for and to me it means that Zack loves me enough to want to marry me and have a family with me-" Sam spit out his drink.

"You're…you're…you're…pr..preg," Sam stuttered.

"No," Veronica assured her father, "No, I am not pregnant. We're waiting until after we're married-"

"Good," Sam said, "Keep it that way." Veronica's brow furrowed, but then she just let it go, if her father wanted to remain in the delusion of her being a virgin, he was welcome too, because it just wasn't worth Zack dying. When it came to this, honesty was definitely not the best policy.

Father and daughter continued to share a beer, several officers walking in and out of The Black Penny stopping every once in a while to say 'hello' and offer Veronica their congratulations once they saw the diamond ring on her finger.

"How did you know that I was here," Sam said, once the pair had gotten a moment alone without the constant interruption of Sam's fellow officers.

"Well, when I couldn't find you in the living room after we announced it," Veronica said, thinking back to when her and Zack stood in front of their parents and friends and announced that they were engaged to be married, "I tried the park that you took me to when I was little, after everyone left and then I tried 15th, when I couldn't find you at either, I tried here. Mom's worried."

"Why is she worried," Sam asked, completely confused as to why Andy would be worried, it's not like he was on duty right now.

"She didn't know if you had taken the news well or not," Veronica explained, "You just sort of disappeared in the excitement and she had no idea where you went."

"I was just shocked," Sam said, "I need to get out, clear my head, so I could wrap my head around the idea of my little girl getting married." Veronica smiled.

"I'll always be your little girl, daddy," Veronica said, "Even if I am getting married, I'll always need my daddy." Sam smiled and took another sip of beer.

"We should get back," Sam said, "Before your mother's worry goes through the roof. Do you have your car?"

"No, Zack dropped me off, on his way home," Veronica explained.

"I thought you went to the park and then 15th, before coming here," Sam said.

"We did," Veronica said, "But I know you, daddy, you needed time, so I made sure you got enough of it." Sam smiled and grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair.

"Come on," he said, indicating that they should leave, "I'll drive you home." Veronica smiled, and wrapped her own jacket around her. The drive to Veronica and Zack's apartment was short and quiet. Sam parked the car and got out, walking Veronica to the elevator. Hugging his daughter close, he kissed her on the forehead.

"Congratulations, baby girl," Sam said, hugging her tightly. Veronica kiss Sam on the cheek.

"Thank you, daddy," Veronica said, before stepping into the elevator. Sam watched the door close and then walked back to his car, a large smile showing his dimples. He was happy for her.

* * *

"You know you can still back out if you want," Sam said, as he stood with his daughter at the church doors, "I can get the car running in a few seconds and we could have a police escort all the way to the airport." Veronica looked at her father, a small smile on her face, shaking her head slightly.

"Daddy," she admonished, "I want to do this. I want to marry Zack."

"I know, I know, baby girl," Sam said, a small now gracing his face, "But as your father, I had to give you the chance for a clean getaway." Veronica smiled, her face hiding only parts of her face. Sam looked at his grown up daughter. She was a vision in a white dress that flattered her body perfectly. It was simple and understated, just the way she liked it. Neither her or Zack were police officers. Oliver had won and collected the money from Jerry with a slight interest. Zack had become a prosecution lawyer working for justice and his daughter had become a criminal psychology teacher at a high school in Georgetown.

"We can still run, if you've changed your mind," Sam said, as he watched Dean Barber and Laura Epstein walk down the white and purple lilac decorated church aisle towards the aisle, where Zack stood nervously waiting for his bride. Veronica smiled at her father.

"It wouldn't be right," she whispered to him, taking the arm that he offered her, before they started walking down the aisle, "I'm meant to marry Zack…I want to marry Zack." The rest of the walk down the aisle was completely quiet, once it became quite apparent that Zack and Veronica only had eyes for one another and everyone in this room, barely mattered because today was about them and no one could take that away from them, not after everything they had gone through to get there after Boyd kidnapped Veronica all of those years ago.

As they reached the end of the aisle, Sam placed a small kiss on Veronica's forehead and handed her hand to Zack, who led her up the stairs towards the priest.

"And who gives this lady away," asked the priest.

"Her mother and I do," Sam said, before sitting down in the pew beside Andy, wrapping an arm around his wife, while they watched with their friends and family. The ceremony was short and sweet, just the way Veronica and Zack wanted it, and then they were on their way running down the aisle and towards the limo off to take pictures with the parents and the rest of the bridal party.

* * *

The photographer gave everyone a headache, trying to get pictures from different angles, trying to incorporate everyone into as many photos as possible, before they would have to go to run off to the reception to celebrate with the rest of the guests on this glorious day. Lifting her dress, Veronica strode over to Sam, the photographer asking for a father-daughter photo now.

"It'll be a little hard to run now, daddy," Veronica joked, "I already married him." Sam laughed and smiled down at his daughter as he placed a kiss on her head, the photographer finding that moment the one to be photographed; the only one of the pair of them. Later it was described to both Sam and Veronica that it was so perfect that they wouldn't need one to replace it later on.

Sam watched as Veronica and Zack took picture after picture smiling and kissing one another, so together in their world, a single tear rolled down his cheek.

"Sam, are you crying," Andy whispered, brushing the tear from his cheek, before it landed on his navy blue suit.

"No," Sam said, "I'm just happy for our little girl."

* * *

The reception drew on, everyone eating and enjoying the good and bad food that came to their tables. Veronica and Zack had shared their first dance to Whitney Houston's 'I'm Saving All My Love for You,' and were now sitting down enjoying the company of their many friends and family that surrounded them.

Rising Sam, hit his fork against his glass slightly, causing everyone in the reception hall to look at him.

"You know they say, the greatest day for a parent is when they watch their kid get married, well I'll have to say that is the second greatest moment of my life. The first, meeting my lovely wife, who is sitting beside me, the woman I had the pleasure of raising Veronica Diaz nee Swarek with. And tying with that moment is the day Veronica was born," Sam said, "not many of you know this, but it took awhile for Andy and I to have Veronica, and while giving birth to Veronica, Andy almost died. Veronica is our little miracle."

Veronica watched her father speak a tiny tear in her eye, as she listened to what he was saying.

"It's always hard for a father to let his daughter go," Sam continued, "Veronica is my little girl and she will always be my little girl. I remember when Veronica would fall asleep at 15th, or when she would fall asleep in my arms and chest, the woman you see today, is the little girl I would do anything for, and to this day and for many more to come I will still do anything for her. Take care of my little girl, Zack, or we're going to need to talk." Zack nodded and mouthed to Sam that he would in fact take good care of Veronica. Standing, Veronica walked to the middle of the dance floor to share the father-daughter dance. The familiar melody of Chuck Wicks' 'Stealing Cinderella' spilled over the speakers and the pair began to dance around the floor.

"Thank you for saying that daddy," Veronica whispered, placing her head on her father's shoulder. Sam kissed his daughter's forehead.

"No problem, sweetheart," Sam whispered back, "No problem at all."

* * *

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed, I had tears in my eyes while writing it.**

**xo**


	7. It Comes with the Job

It Comes with the Job

* * *

Veronica stood at the kitchen counter in her and Zack's apartment, slicing vegetables for a salad to go with their dinner, when suddenly the cooking show Zack was watching and she was listening to, was interrupted by a news feed. She looked at the clock on the stove. The news wasn't scheduled to start for another half hour.

"This is Rose Metcough with breaking news. The Royal Bank of Canada on King Street has a robbery in progress. According to the officers of 15th division, there are 6 civilian hostages inside, including one of their own detectives, as well as 12 employee hostages. There are two shooters inside, but they have yet to get a visual," said the new anchor as she came on the news. Veronica placed the knife she was using on the counter and turned off the oven, before walking into the living room to sit down beside Zack, who was watching the news cast just as worriedly.

15th divison was their parents division and while they knew that 15th would try their best to get all of the hostages out without any injury, they also knew that when someone from 15th was inside, it became personal. Veronica grabbed Zack's hand and held it tightly in her own. Zack sensing her tension, rubbed his thumb along her knuckles taking care to rub the wedding band on her finger lovingly.

"It's going to be okay," he told her, "They've gone through this before. Everything will be just fine." Veronica nodded, but couldn't peel her eyes away from the TV screen. She was scared out of her mind, and every piece of anxiety that she felt when she was sixteen and in Boyd's basement came flooding back to her. Taking a deep breath she tried to calm herself down, but it didn't work. Zack sensing her anxiety quickly pulled her up off the couch and into the kitchen, handing her the anxiety pills her psychologist had prescribed to her, with a cold glass of water to wash them down. She looked at him offering a weak smile.

"You always know what to do," she whispered to him, after swallowing the pills. Zack smiled down at his wife. He was about to speak, when the newscast interrupted him.

"We've just received word that shots have been fired in the bank," Rose Metcough said, "And 15th division is now working on plan to get their officers inside the bank." Anxiety filled Veronica's heart once more and her eyes began to widen. Zack eyes were wide as well. Then there was a knock at the door, causing the married couple to jump.

"I'll be right back," Zack whispered to Veronica, and she nodded. Zack quickly walked to the door and looked through the peep hole, to see both Laura and Dean standing there, looking just as disheveled as he and Veronica felt. He opened the door and let them in.

"You've both heard the news, I take it," Zack asked, taking their coats and directing them into the kitchen where Veronica was sitting quietly.

"We were on our way home, when the news came on," Laura explained, quickly hugging her best friend, "We thought maybe it was better the four of us be together, so we changed direction and made our way here." Veronica hugged Laura back, but kept quiet. Zack and Dean moved into the living room, while Laura tried to keep Veronica's mind on making dinner. All of them were hungry and there was enough for Laura and Dean.

"How is she," Dean asked, sipping on the can of Pepsi, that Zack offered him.

"Her anxiety is acting up," Zack whispered, "Her head is going somewhere that she can't help, and it doesn't help that all of our parents are involved, but how are you doing? I mean both of your parents are detectives."

"I got word from my mom," Dean explained, "She's fine, but Dad's the one inside the bank and I mean I'm scared out of my mind for him, but-"he was cut off, when Veronica ran into the room and threw her arms around him. He could feel her shaking in his arms as he wrapped them around her. Zack watched quietly, as two of the most important people in his life found comfort in one another.

There was a time in his life, when he thought that there could have been something more between Dean and Veronica, but now he knew that all they had was friendship, maybe even more of sibling bond, because the people that they loved most in that way were him and Laura. Zack left the pair and went to help Laura finish making their dinner, hoping that maybe Veronica would help Dean with his fear and Dean would help Veronica with her anxiety.

"I'm so worried, Dean," Veronica whispered to him, as she hugged him.

"I am too, V, but this is our parents jobs, they want to protect people and bring justice to the world," Dean said, standing in the middle of the living room.

"And I know all of that, but it's not like their immortal, you know," Veronica said, "And ever since those days that I spent in-"

"Veronica, don't go there," Dean said, sitting her down on the sofa beside him, "You can't think like that, you need to think positive. That's what I'm doing and my dad is the detective inside the bank."

"Oh god, Dean," Veronica said, wrapping her arms around her friend once more, "Nothing is going to happen. Everyone will be fine." Veronica and Dean continued to seek comfort in one another's arms, as the newscaster start to speak once more.

"Word has just reached us that 15th division as well as Special Services have decided to raid the bank." Dean and Veronica hugged one another tighter, as both Laura and Zack rushed into the living room, as they watched with wide eyes of the banks doors being forced open.

* * *

Veronica and Dean slowly began to calm down as they began to eat dinner. The newscast was taken off air and the foursome decided that it would be good to get some food into their systems, and get their minds of the bank robbery only 40 minutes from where they were. It was quiet though, not one of them sure of what to talk about, and the only thing that was fresh on their minds was the raid of RBC bank, led by who they could only assume to be was their parents. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Zack looked at Veronica curiously. They were expecting anyone else tonight. Once again anxiety took a hold of Veronica's heart, as Zack walked over to the door to answer it. He looked through the peephole and saw it to be their Uncle Oliver and a rookie, both of which had looks of sorrow on their faces.

He opened the door and got himself ready to hear the bad news.

"Hello, Oliver," he said, as he opened the door. Oliver looked at him sadly.

"Zack, we need to speak to Veronica and Dean, if he's here," Oliver said, rotating the hat he had in his hands. Zack looked at Oliver with wide eyes, before walking towards the kitchen to get his wife and best friend.

"V, Dean, Oliver and a rookie are here," Zack said, "They said, they need to talk to you." Veronica and Dean both looked at each other with wide eyes, before standing from the table. Dean quickly grabbed the hand of his fiancée and dragged her towards the door, as Veronica did the same with her husband.

"Uncle Oli," Veronica said, tears already began to cloud her vision, as she took in his posture.

"Veronica, I'm going to let Officer Puckerman, talk to you, while I talk to Dean, okay," Oliver explained. Veronica looked from one of her godfathers to the rookie standing beside him. She nodded and invited the officer inside, and to their living room.

"You can use the kitchen to talk to Dean and Laura, Oli," Zack said, before following his wife into the kitchen. Oliver nodded, as Dean and Laura led him into the kitchen, their dinner plates still on the table, but Laura quickly cleared them onto the counter.

In the living room, Officer Puckerman was sitting across from Veronica and Zack.

"Ms. Swerek-"

"Diaz," Veronica corrected, "I got married two months ago, I'm now Mrs. Diaz."

"Oh, sorry, Mrs. Diaz," Officer Puckerman apologized, "I'm sure you're aware of the robbery at RBC bank, only an hour ago." Veronica nodded and looked at the rookie officer expectantly.

"I've been asked to inform you, that your father was injured in the raid that took place. He is alive and at St. Michaels' hospital, but your mother would like you to join her, while she waits for him to come out of surgery," Officer Puckerman explained to her. Veronica let out a slightly relieved breath. She nodded and ran a hand through her slightly wavy hair. She began looking around for a sweater that she could wear. Zack walked into their master bedroom and grabbed them both sweaters.

In the kitchen, Oliver sat down across from Laura and Dean and looked the pair sorrowfully. He didn't know how to tell them this. It wasn't something that you had to do every day, which made it harder, but when it came to one of your best friends kids, it made it even harder. He looked at Dean. He remembered the kid growing up, and right now, all he could see was the ten year old Dean Barber, who did nothing, but get in trouble and he couldn't bring himself to say it, but he had too.

"Dean, as you probably know, your father was the detective inside the RBC bank, when it was being robbed," Oliver began and Dean squeezed Laura's hand tightly in his, "There were shots fired inside the bank and your father was hit with about three of them. Dean, I'm sorry, but we didn't get to him in time." Dean's eyes flooded with tears, one of the few times in his adult life that they had. He looked at his uncle Oliver and then over to his fiancée. He had no idea what to say, so he got up and walked into the living room, where both of his best friends were standing.

"Oh, Dean," Veronica said, and without another word, she wrapped her arms around him, as he finally succumbed to sobs.

* * *

The foursome made their way to the hospital and as soon as Dean and Veronica saw their mothers, they ran into their arms. Dean and Tracy were crying their hearts out with Sky and Leo, as they awaited the coroner to release the body to them. Veronica and Andy watched sadly, but were so happy to know that their husband/father was at least alive.

"Family of Sam Swarek," called a doctor, as he walked into the waiting room. Veronica and Andy quickly walked over to the doctor.

"I'm Doctor Wesson," he said, introducing himself, "I was the head surgeon in charge of Sam's surgery. It was a very easy surgery. The bullet didn't hit any major arteries, or muscle tissue and it didn't shatter any bones or manage to get lodged anywhere in his body. It was simple and easy surgery. He's asleep at the moment, but the anesthesia should where off soon and you'll both be able to see him."

"Thank you," Andy said, shaking his hand, before hugging her daughter tightly.

* * *

Moments passed and soon they were able to go and see Sam, as he lay in the hospital bed looking weak and miserable, but a little happy to be alive. Veronica smiled, even though she had tears in her eyes. Leaning down, she kissed the top of her father's head softly.

"Don't you dare scare me like that again," she said, "I know you're not invincible, but you need to learn that as well." Sam smiled up at his daughter, and took her hand in his, at the same time that he took.

"It's my job, little V," he told her. She smiled at him, when he used the nickname she had when she was little.

"Yeah, but your job is already dangerous enough, without you jumping head first into even more dangerous situations. I don't need to learn from mom that you died, charging into a bank, guns blazing," Veronica said, causing her father to really look at her this time. He could see that fear that she was feeling, knowing that it could have just as easily been him lying in the morgue instead of his best friend. The hand, he was holding was shaking extremely fast and he knew that his daughter's anxiety was almost getting the better of her, and the only thing keeping it from doing so, was the fact that he was just injured.

"Well, I won't be able to work for awhile, according to Doctor Wesson, and then I'll be on desk duty for a few months," Sam assured his daughter, "So you won't have to worry for a little while." Veronica smiled down at her father.

"I'll always worry daddy," she told him, "It comes with the territory of being the daughter of two cops, and it never really goes away." Sam smiled up at his daughter, bringing her hand to his mouth kissing it.

"Hey, do you think you could sneak me in some Nesquik, while I talk to your mother, who's probably ready to tear my head off for getting shot," he asked her. Veronica smiled and shook her head.

"Sam," Andy cried indigently.

"I'll see what I can do," Veronica answered.

"Veronica," Andy cried with the same tone, shaking her head at how alike the father-daughter duo was.

"That's my girl," Sam said, Veronica walking out the door, a small smile on her face, listening to her mother fawn over her father as the door shut behind her. She was glad he was alive, but then she looked over to her aunt Tracy, Leo, Sky and Dean. They looked miserable and uncomplete without her uncle Jerry sitting there with them. Forgetting about her quest for Nesquik, she walked over to them and wrapped her arms around her aunt Tracy, never once minding the tears the fell as she did so.

* * *

She had her arms linked with her father's as they made their way into the church for uncle Jerry's funeral. It was odd being back in the same church she had gotten married in, dressed in black for a much less happier occasion. At the front of the church sat a picture of a smiling Jerry, surrounded by red and white roses. It seemed that everyone that ever knew Jerry Barber was there.

"Are you okay, daddy," she asked him, as they sat down in one of the pews near Tracy and the rest of Jerry's family. Sam looked at her and then looked over to the picture of his best friend. He didn't want to be here…he didn't want to celebrate the life of his best friend, when they still had so much to do, but none of it would happen now, but he nodded his head all the same at Veronica. Veronica, however, looked at him skeptically.

"No, you're not," she said, "Don't lie to me." Sam looked at his daughter and bowed his head, tears once again filled his eyes, and once more he refused to let them fall.

"Do you want me to go up there instead," Veronica asked him, handing him her handkerchief, so he could wipe his eyes, and hide the evidence that he was crying, as Andy came to sit next to him on the other side. Sam looked at her, and shook his head.

"I have to go up there," Sam assured her, "He would have done it for me." Veronica nodded her head, as the church grew quiet, and then the funeral procession started. Veronica had been to enough of these during her life, that it seemed normal to her, but this…this didn't feel normal. It shouldn't have been her godfather lying in that casket being carried in by Zack, Dean, Leo, Oliver, Frank, Will, Dov and Chris. Sam would have been helping them, if he had the strength in his arm too. Sam wrapped an arm around his daughter, as he felt sobs wrack her body. This never got any easier.

The priest stood in front of the congregation and began to speak about another life lost, but Veronica and Sam heard none of it. It was too hard to swallow that Jerry was gone, and as much as they didn't want to believe it, it was true.

"And now one of Jerry's best friends, Sam Swarek will say a few words," the priest said, and Sam stood and walked to the front of the church and stood beside the black casket.

"Jerry, buddy, it seems like just yesterday, we were sitting in the Black Penny, during our rookie days, having a few beers with Oli, glad to be done with another day to have some fun. Though, when I looked in the mirror this morning, I knew that wasn't true. We had so many plans, buddy, we were going to retire, watch our grandkids grow up together and maybe even buy a nice nig boat to sail all of the way to Florida with, but now we can't and I know my day, is just going to be a little less brighter without that smile, and I know I won't be able to scam you out of anymore money or laugh with you about the days that Veronica would smack you in face with her chubby little baby hands. Jerry, buddy, I know you're up there smiling down on all of us, and I promise you, Oli and I won't join you too soon. Keep an eye on us all, buddy," Sam said, and as he went on, each sentence got harder and harder, and once it got too hard, he stopped speaking, and Veronica stood, grabbing the piece of paper from her father's hands and began to speak.

"Because I know," Veronica took over, "that if it was me in your place, you would ask me to do the same. Jerry, I'll look after Tracy, Dean, Leo and Sky for you. I'll make sure to help Dean and Leo scare away all of Sky's potential boyfriends and I'll promise to always down a glass of scotch in your honour whenever I'm at the Black Penny. I'd give anything for it to be the day before you asked me to best man at your wedding, but I can't turn the clock backwards, but this isn't goodbye Jerry, it's only a see you later."

* * *

**A/N: Hi Everyone, **

**Sorry it took so long for this oneshot, but I was in a bit of denial when Jerry died and then I was really in denial when Sam and Andy broke up and then I was really upset with the ending…**

**Anyways let me know what you think…**

**xo**


	8. AN - Important!

**A/N: Hi Everyone, **

**I know I have been ignoring this story as of late, but I have completely run out of ideas for father-daughter moments, so I was wondering if any of you had ideas…**

**Let me know in a review and I'll see what I can do, but please remember that this is a father-daughter story, so while Andy can be part of it, Sam and Veronica should be the focus…**

**xo**


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